Regional

3:01 pm

Mon May 19, 2014

Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument Protects 500,000 Acres

Fred Martino speaks with New Mexico Rep. Jeff Steinborn (D-35), who also serves as the Southern New Mexico Director for the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance. Steinborn reflects on President Obama's decision to create the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument.

President Obama will sign a proclamation Wednesday establishing the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument. The signing ceremony will occur at the Department of the Interior.

In a prepared statement, the White House said, “By establishing the monument, the President will permanently protect nearly 500,000 acres to preserve the prehistoric, historic, and scientific values of the area for the benefit of all Americans.”

District 35 State Representative Jeff Steinborn is also the Southern New Mexico Director for the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance.

In an interview with KRWG News, Steinborn said wide community support was important in securing the President’s decision.

The White House said, “A recent independent study found that a new national monument could generate $7.4 million dollars in new economic activity annually from new visitors and business opportunities while preserving access for sportsmen, ranchers, and recreational users.”

Some ranchers have been opposed to the monument proposal by Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich, which also would have protected the nearly half million acres to be designated as a Monument by the President’s Wednesday proclamation.